1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for determining charges in real time for value-added services in a telecommunication network.
2. Background
There are various methods for implementing value-added services in telecommunication networks. In telecommunication networks such as public switched telephone networks and mobile telephone networks, some value-added services are offered as services by the network operator. Common services include communication-specific services that facilitate or expand upon connections-oriented traffic. The best known examples of this type are ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) and GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) features of the corresponding ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) recommendations including call diversion, call forwarding, callback on busy, call waiting, etc. These services are implemented and operated by the network operator in the telecommunication network (in public exchanges) and in the intelligent network control SCP (Service Control Point) and SMS (Service Management System). In addition, there are value-added services such as voicemail (answering machine), messaging, recorded information service, information service (weather, lottery numbers, news, or the like) that are offered by the network operator or by external value-added service providers. These can also include traffic information services. As a rule, this service category can only be accessed by network-specific customers when they dial corresponding telephone numbers; as a rule, the use of the service is linked to calling the value-added service provider and a corresponding fee is automatically charged via the telecommunication bill. Up to this point, it has not been possible to determine the charges in real time for the value-added service being used in the telecommunication network or to change the rate during a call to a value-added service provider.
WO01/26353A1 has disclosed a method for changing the taxation type of communication connections during a connection, in particular when using value-added services, in which a caller can select a value-added service by dialing an associated destination number and the destination number is intercepted in a network element of an intelligent network (IN) of the telecommunication network. In the intelligent network element, this destination number is converted into a special access number for the value-added service. This special access number is then used to establish a connection between the intelligent network element and the value-added service provider using the access number and is switched through to the caller. It is not possible to inform the caller about the rate for the connection or to determine charges in real time in the telecommunication network.